Watson Glaser MCQ Flashcards
7 cards from real Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Watson Glaser MCQ flashcards as text
Observation: Every time it rains, the streets get wet. The streets are wet. Which inference rating applies to 'It has rained recently'?
Answer: Probably true
Wet streets are consistent with recent rain but other causes (sprinklers, flooding) are possible, so 'probably true' is the best rating.
Statement: 'You should apply for this job — they're paying $20,000 more than your current salary.' The assumption underlying this advice is:
Answer: A higher salary is a sufficient reason to change jobs
The advice assumes that the salary increase alone is enough motivation to make the job change worthwhile.
Premises: Some athletes are vegetarians. All vegetarians avoid red meat. Conclusion: Some athletes avoid red meat. This conclusion:
Answer: Follows necessarily
If some athletes are vegetarians and all vegetarians avoid red meat, then at least those athlete-vegetarians avoid red meat — the conclusion necessarily follows.
Argument against a proposal: 'We should not switch to renewable energy because it will cost jobs in the coal industry.' According to Watson-Glaser criteria, this argument is:
Answer: Strong, because job losses are a serious and directly relevant concern
The argument is strong because job losses are a substantial, directly relevant consequence that genuinely bears on the decision to switch energy sources.
Passage: A researcher found that students who eat breakfast score higher on standardized tests. Which conclusion is best supported?
Answer: There is an association between breakfast eating and higher test scores
The research establishes an association, but causation cannot be claimed without a controlled experiment ruling out confounding variables.
Which response category in the Watson-Glaser Inference section means the statement contradicts or is incompatible with the given facts?
Answer: False
'False' is used when the inference directly contradicts the information provided in the passage.
Statement: 'Reading fiction improves empathy, so English classes are essential.' The hidden assumption is:
Answer: Empathy is an important outcome that schools should develop
The argument only makes sense if empathy development is considered a worthwhile or essential goal, which is assumed rather than argued.